Amazona farinosa
The Mealy Amazon, *Amazona farinosa*, is the largest of the Amazon parrots, instantly recognizable by its predominantly green plumage and a distinctive powdery, whitish sheen across its feathers, giving it a 'mealy' or 'floury' appearance, especially on the nape and hindneck. Measuring 38-41 cm (15-16 inches) in length and weighing 540-700 grams (1.2-1.5 lbs), it features a pale horn-colored bill, a prominent white eye-ring, and often a subtle, pale bluish wash on the nape. A hidden red patch...
Primarily inhabits lowland humid evergreen forests, gallery forests, and mature secondary growth, typically found from sea level up to 1200-1500 meters in elevation.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a wide variety of fruits (especially figs), seeds, nuts, flowers, and occasionally leaves or bark, foraging high in the tree canopy.
Mealy Amazons are diurnal, spending their days foraging in the canopy and congregating in large, often noisy, communal roosts at dusk, which can number in the thousands outside the breeding season. They employ an arboreal foraging strategy, using their powerful beaks to efficiently crack nuts, te...
The Mealy Amazon boasts an extensive Neotropical distribution, spanning from southeastern Mexico through Central America and much of northern South America. Its range begins in southern Mexico (Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas) and continues south through Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Ri...
Least Concern
- The Mealy Amazon is the largest species within the diverse *Amazona* parrot genus. - Its scientific name, *Amazona farinosa*, comes from the Latin 'farinosa' meaning 'floury' or 'mealy,' referring to the distinctive powdery white bloom on its feathers. - These parrots can live for an impressive...